Press release from Anthony Ponder:
Anthony E. Ponder has written My Humor Heritage in Madison County and Beyond. It features cartoon illustrations by Graham Ponder. The publisher is YAV Publications and is available in paperback at most all outlets.
Ponder states, “I tried to give the reader a glimpse of what amused our ancestors. Our Madison County, N.C. humor heritage is rich. I think we should note and preserve it.”
Ponder introduces the work by using a few gags from old newspapers. He also invents some humor for our founding fathers.
For instance: Elizabeth Hamilton asks, “Is it true Martha that your husband threw a silver dollar across the Potomac?”
“I don’t know how these things get started,” replies Martha. “There is a place in western Virginia where I threw George across the Potomac.”
With his work he hopes the reader detects the shifts in humor over time. He cites humor from colonial times until 1965.
One local humor highlight is a humorous twist on a local expression, “Won’t you go home with us?”
With tongue in cheek perhaps, Ponder recalls Madison County elections with lines like: “Heck, when I was growing up, our party won elections regardless of how the vote went. It wasn’t considered a fair election until it was rigged. I grew up thinking honest elections was a late Kentucky Derby scratch.”And here are two of several more: “As a youngster I voted in three presidential elections…and that was before the age of ten. Heck, I learned to mark a ballot before I learned to walk.”
Mr. Ponder notes two influences of music on our culture. One is the minstrel show and the other is Rock and Roll.
He offers an amusing local take on Elvis Pressley performing early Rock and Roll. With Elvis old folks didn’t know whether to laugh, cry, or dance.
From the book he adds: “I saw him (Elvis) on the Ed Sullivan show, and I hadn’t heard that much screaming and squealing since 1947 when we had a community hog killing.”
Mr. Ponder added: “By accident I stumbled upon the idea writing about my humor heritage. The Madison County Genealogical Society was kind enough to permit me to give a presentation on part of the work. I hope the reader enjoys reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.”
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